


I don't need a voice (to tell you it will get better)

by TitaniaSarys



Series: Deaf Zelda and Mute Link AU [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Horseriding, Mute Link, Pre-Calamity (Legend of Zelda), Pre-Calamity Ganon, alternative universe, deaf Zelda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25165246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TitaniaSarys/pseuds/TitaniaSarys
Summary: "Figuring out how to ride a horse" + "The other guards laughing when Link gets flustered after Zelda signs at him" prompts from abithalyndrakonclaw's tumblr post about Deaf Zelda and Mute Link AU.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Deaf Zelda and Mute Link AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819357
Comments: 3
Kudos: 99





	I don't need a voice (to tell you it will get better)

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the second fic in this series. Chronologically wise, the following fics will happen at any given point before the Calamity, unless written otherwise because I mostly want to focus on Link and Zelda's relationship and also their relationship with the Champions. I have a couple of fics post-Calamity in mind, but that's gonna happen at another time. Because I just love the idea of Zelda risking everything to save Hyrule, even her relationship with her best friend because he might lose his memories and he's the only person in the world who understands her perfectly.
> 
> Again, I am no expert on sign language, so if I made a mistake somewhere, let me know.

Link was getting their horses ready in the courtyard when one of the other guards called his name and pointed at something above their heads. There she was, Princess Zelda, waving at him and signing that she was so excited to finally go on their own adventure outside of Central Hyrule. They had been travelling together for over a month, but never far, always staying within a half-day’s walk of the castle. The king insisted.

It seemed now he had changed his mind. Link had figured as much when he was instructed to bring his horse to the royal stables. Epona was his mother’s gift when he officially entered the king’s guard, way before the sword that can seal the darkness chose him, way before he met Zelda, way before he embarked on a crazy journey with her.

After giving his instructions, the king had gone to perform his kingly duties and Link was left to prepare his own steed and the princess’. Epona was docile as always, but he could tell she was excited. They hadn’t travelled together in almost a year, Link’s guard duties keeping him mostly to the castle until the Master Sword came into his life. Zelda’s horse, on the other hand, seemed like a piece of work.

Link couldn’t deny he was beautiful, all pearly white. His saddle and bridle were among the best Link had ever seen, although a bit too extravagant for his taste. It stood proud in the middle of the stables and gave Link the evil eye. Thankfully for Link, he knew how to handle horses. An hour later and Link could take out Zelda’s horse to the courtyard. They weren’t best buddies (he didn’t think he could share with another horse the bond he had with Epona) but they trusted each other enough for this to work. Link was certain Zelda’s horse just needed someone to keep it on track. He was too proud and powerful for his own good.

He wasn’t convinced it was a good horse for the princess though. From what the king had told him, Zelda knew how to ride, but this horse was supposed to be a gift. She had never seen it, had never ridden it before. Anything could happen. Which was why Link had insisted they saddle up in the courtyard and practice a bit before venturing out for a few days trip.

The other guards’ laughter brought him back to the present and Link buried his face in Epona’s mane to hide his blush.

One of the guards poked him in the shoulder. “Come on Link! Are you gonna ignore the princess?”

Link shook his head and turned towards Zelda who was looking at him expectedly from the top of the closest stone archway that linked two towers.

_Yes, it’s going to be great_ , he signed back and she smiled.

_Don’t move, I’m coming down_ , Zelda signed so fast Link almost didn’t catch her signs.

He laughed silently. He wasn’t going anywhere. A couple of minutes later, Zelda was standing right in front of him.

_Oh my goddesses! Can you imagine? We’re going to travel much faster now! We could actually go to Kakariko village and I could finally compare my notes with Impa and Purah about the Sheikah slate and those strange structures we have discovered in the Tabantha region the other week and I just can’t wait to feel the wind in my hair at full gallop and Link, it’s going to be so much fun and so refreshing and…_

She was signing so fast Link had to pay extra attention to her hands. The other guards’ laughter behind him didn’t help at all. The more she signed and the louder the laughter, the redder Link’s face became. He was tempted to flip his colleagues off, but he would never dare in front of the princess, so instead he starting signing. Thankfully it caught Zelda’s attention and stopped her rambling.

_Yes, yes we’ll do all that but first we need to get you on that horse. I’d like to…_

_His name is Storm._

Link blinked.

_Alright, then show me how you ride Storm, prince… I mean Zelda_. He blushed even more and scratched his neck, his gaze suddenly finding an interesting spot on the ground near his boots. Zelda smiled and approached her horse.

_You are so beautiful_ , she signed at him and let him sniff her hand before she brushed her fingertips against his forehead.

She climbed on the saddle without anyone’s help. Link had to admit, her posture was good. Nothing extraordinary, but good. She signed _See? I’ve got this._ Link didn’t say anything when she grabbed onto the reins a bit too desperately.

Storm behaved during the fifteen minutes they spent in the courtyard, riding in circles, practicing various maneuvers. During the entire time, Link signed to Zelda, encouraging her, advising her how to adjust her posture, the kind of pressure to put where, the direction in which to pull the reins. As usual, she was an excellent student and applied his advice as soon as she read his signs. The other guards kept pointing at him to each other and Link even saw the glint of rupees switching hands. Gritting his teeth and trying to control his blush, he kept instructing the princess until he felt satisfied.

Storm threw her off the saddle right outside the ceremony grounds where Link had met the Champions, less than an hour into their trip. As he watched her body fly through the air, Link’s pretty sure his heart stopped beating. Thankfully, the only things Zelda bruised were her backside and her ego. She insisted on climbing back up and Storm kept side-stepping around her, neighing. Link had to get off Epona to hold Storm’s bridle while Zelda climbed back on the saddle. She remained quiet during the whole process but her face was as red as the poppies growing on the side of the dirt road.

Everything went downhill from there. If one color horses were truly the most difficult ones to tame, then Storm was at the top of the list. Every single time Link thought Zelda had it covered, Storm suddenly turned one way or the other, stepping off the road. He burst into gallop unsolicited or wouldn’t slow down near bridges to the point where Link was about to just give up entirely and walk all the way to Kakariko.

If watching Storm put Zelda’s life in danger was the worst, watching Zelda’s face, so bright and happy that morning, gradually turn pale and sad, was heart-wrenching. She had barely signed ten sentences to him since they departed and Link could feel her spirit waning. It all became too much when Zelda refused to stop at a stable for the night. She claimed that sleeping outside would be perfect for stargazing and that they should take advantage of that while the weather was nice, but Link knew it was because she didn’t want the stable staff to see how she failed with Storm.

The next days, Link did his best to teach her, to give her pointers, to correct her stance and although she was doing everything correctly, Storm remained as badly behaved as before. By the end of the first week, when they were ready to come back to the castle, Link was just happy Storm hadn’t throw Zelda off again and that all of her bones were still intact.

Link was therefore surprised when he was called to the castle the day they were supposed to set off on their new adventure, this time to Hebra, to see Storm being brushed in the stables by none other than Zelda.

_I want to keep trying_ , she signed to him.

Link knew how stubborn she could be so he simply smiled and went to fetch Epona.

It took them a lot of wrong turns, crazy gallops and several frights before Storm stopped being a jerk. He was still as proud as ever but he seemed to trust Zelda. And after a month of praying to the goddesses like he had never prayed before, Link was happy to see that Zelda enjoyed herself on a saddle again. It wasn’t perfect, Storm would still show his personality every once in a while, especially catching Zelda off guard if she dropped the reins completely to sign, but Link had faith.

They would be alright.


End file.
